Buenos Aires Estancias & Pampa

The fertile grassy plains of La Pampa stretch south from Buenos Aires, trickling down to the toe of Argentina and Patagonia. Vineyards are a recent addition to La Pampa, but for centuries the region has been the legendary home of the gaucho, Argentina’s cowboys, and the country’s famous cattle.

The folklore and outdoors way of life represented by the gauchos is alive and well in Argentina’s estancias, or cattle ranches. Some working cattle ranches welcome guests, so saddle up and get the lowdown on life on the Pampas. It promises to be a full day of entertainment, with horse riding, a traditional asado barbecue lunch, gaucho music and dance.

Every November, La Pampa’s gauchos congregate in the town of San
Antonio de Areco to celebrate the annual Día de la Tradición, so plan
your visit to San Antonio for November 10 for the best displays of
cowboy fun and games around.

Expect folk music, woven ponchos,
rodeos and competition horsemanship, horseback parades and displays of
decorated gaucho gear, including tooled leather saddles and spurs. San
Antonio de Areco is only 113 km (70 miles) west of Buenos Aires, so
year-round it’s a rewarding destination for horse riding, gaucho crafts,
and a steak lunch at a traditional parrilla steakhouse. Gauchos
invented the Argentine method of barbecuing meat, honing their culinary
skills over the open flame of their Pampas fire and accompanying their
meal with mate, a brewed herb drink passed from hand to hand and shared
from a hollowed gourd.

Culture vulture Buenos Aires is no
stick-in-the-mud when it comes to traditional festivities either.
There’s dressing up and street parades during February’s Carnaval, but
remember to pack your umbrella as water bombs are let fly. The tango
hits the street in March during the B.A. Tango Festival, giving visitors
the best opportunity to watch superb demonstrations of the red-hot
dance. National Tango Day is December 11, birthday of the legendary
tango singer Carlos Gardel.